With its fantastic camera, stellar battery life, great screen, unfussy build and powerful processor, it's the archetypal all-rounder. And given that it's only been on the market for 8 months, there seems no reason to upgrade to a new phone anyway. Or is there? Because LG's now announced the G3, and it has a whole lot more going for it.

So, would we stick with our G2 or start saving up for its successor? Here are 10 reasons you might want to upgrade.

1. It has a supercharged camera

LG G3 vs G2: 10 reasons to upgrade

The G2's camera is one of the best around, with only the Sony Xperia Z2 beating it among current Android smartphones. But the G3 promises to be better still.

It has the same 13MP sensor as the G2 but its optical image stabilisation has been upgraded to the OIS+ version. This uses software tricks to improve the stabilisation performance and it should mean that the G2's already impressive low-light abilities are enhanced on the new phone.

Indeed, we've seen it before in LG's G Pro 2 phablet, and stated in our review that it is "a real belter with night-time shots". And you can't argue with that.

Another feature which should improve night-time shooting is the addition of a laser autofocus assist. This sits next to the camera sensor and helps it measure distance - and therefore find focus - in dim conditions. And on the other side of the sensor there's a further aid in the form of a dual-LED flash.

And as if that's not enough of an improvement, you also now get 4K video thrown in. You don't want 4K video? Of course you do. What else are you going to watch on your 2K screen?

2. It has a replaceable battery

LG G3 vs G2: 10 reasons to upgrade

A simple one, this: where the G2's battery was fixed in place, the G3's can be swapped out for a new one. Now the G2's battery life is pretty much the best we've seen on a high-end smartphone, but the G3 has the same size 3000mAh cell and a bigger screen to power. LG claims it will last for at least as long as its predecessor, but even if it does, there are times when carrying a spare could save your bacon.

Advertisement

3. It has expandable memory

Another no brainer: the LG's lack of storage space is one of its few drawbacks, with only 16/32GB versions available and no way to add more memory. The G3, on the other hand, has a microSD slot which can accept cards of up to 128GB in size. That's particularly good news given that the 32GB version won't be coming to UK for some time yet, if at all. Still, 144GB should be enough for most people.

But that's not all. According to LG's own tech specs for the device, the G3 supports microSD cards of up to 2TB in size. Now don't get too excited - you can't actually buy microSD cards of that size yet, and even if you could the cost would probably be prohibitive. But all the same, it's good to be prepared.

4. It has premium looks

LG G3 vs G2: 10 reasons to upgrade

Note that we say 'looks' rather than 'build'. The fact is, the G3 doesn't have a premium metal body like the HTC One (M8). What it does have is a classy plastic back that's designed to look like brushed metal. And after spending some time with it, we're happy with the compromise. It's lighter than the M8 and the fact that it's made of plastic means the back can be removed to allow for the swappable battery, wireless charging and microSD slot. Nor did we notice any creaking or flexing of the case.

The other key to the G3's swish design is the almost bezel-free front and button-free sides. All of which is made possible by the fact that the buttons are round the back. Plus, the buttons themselves have been made bigger and more attractive. Not that you'll be looking at them very much.

5. It has louder speakers

LG G3 vs G2: 10 reasons to upgrade

The G3's speaker is now round the back with the buttons rather than on the front as it was on the G2. More importantly, it should be louder - it's now a 1W affair with boost amplification, and according to LG it will provide richer sounds and clearer tones. Which, given that the G3 supports hi-res audio, is no bad thing. We're yet to test it against the HTC One (M8), which offers the best speakers of any phone we've used, but the G3 should at least sound better than the rather weedy G2.